


i love (you, your smile, your heart)

by empyyrean



Category: Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Absolutely no plot, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, M/M, bucky still has his metal arm don't ask me about the backstory of this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-13
Packaged: 2018-10-03 19:14:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10255589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/empyyrean/pseuds/empyyrean
Summary: Sam was a morning person, much to his dismay, which meant Bucky rarely managed to catch him while he was sleeping, an honest to God tragedy.





	

Bucky wasn't a morning person.

He shied away from any and all attempts from Steve or Sam to rouse him before nine, especially for something as frivolous as running. If the sun wasn't up, neither was Bucky Barnes.

Sometimes waking up early was inevitable, either because of a nightmare or latent memory that jolts him awake, palms shaking as he presses his eyelids until he sees stars.  He despises those nights more than anything and while he'd do anything to avoid them, the mornings that followed weren't completely horrible. Because Sam _was_ a morning person, much to his dismay, which meant Bucky rarely managed to catch him while he was sleeping, an honest to God tragedy.

A sleeping Sam Wilson was a treasure, one he took pleasure in hoarding for himself. He looked almost fictitious when he slept, as if his image would wane and ripple if Bucky reached out to touch him. He would watch him anxiously until the sun rose, peeking through the gaps in their blinds as they casted dappled flecks of glittering golden light across Sam’s face. The sunlight did him the greatest of justices, accentuating and highlighting his smooth, warm skin and cheekbones all of which are framed by soft jet black curls that managed to somehow fall in just the right spot despite the fact that Sam was completely unaware of them.

Bucky feels blessed to be granted the privilege of being able to see Sam like this, oblivious to the outside world. He spends so much of his time on guard, a tightness in his eyes, a glimmer of caution and fatigue that Bucky could sympathize with but never completely decipher. He was so good at hiding it and projecting an aura of togetherness that you wouldn't be able to tell was fake unless you spent a lot of time looking at and analyzing his expressions, like Bucky does. It makes sense. Sometimes the only thing you can do is tell yourself you’re fine until you’re the closest thing to it.

Point is, it’s a gift to see Sam in such a _vulnerable_ state, not hiding or holding anything on his shoulders, just asleep, free from the troubles that plagued him.

There are times when Bucky took a step back and could scarcely believe that this was his life, that he got to love someone like Sam and that he would actually love _him_ back. Sam who held no expectations and supported Bucky fiercely, more than he does himself; something Bucky tries to make up for, to reciprocate and to pay back with all the love and support he could muster. He would never want Sam to doubt how much appreciation and devotion he holds for him. It almost seems like it’ll never be enough for Bucky, who would rip the moon and stars out of the sky if he thought it would make Sam smile.

Being with Sam was like reparations for all the shit he's been through and all the turmoil he's suffered, because when he looks at Sam he feels nothing short of pure elation building in his chest until he feels like he'll damn near explode with it. He's the light at the end of a fairly long, fairly tragic tunnel.  

A soft noise shakes Bucky out of his musings and his gaze immediately moves back to Sam who’s finally waking up. Seeing him sleep is soothing, a welcome start to any day, but seeing Sam wake up is downright hilarious. His nose scrunches up, vexed like he was fighting consciousness and regrettably, it won. That alone is enough to make him snort. “Good morning, sleeping beauty,” Bucky teases, smiling.

Sam groans, throwing his arm over face. “How long ‘ave you been watchin’ me, creep?” He mumbles, voice hoarse and low.

“Not long,” he admits, reaching out for the hand on Sam’s thigh with his metal one.

Sam lets out a sigh, gripping his palm and pulling him close enough that his forearm rests on his hip. Bucky loves the way he treats his metal arm, softly caressing the bridge between his pointer finger and his thumb. “You gonna get up soon?” Sam asks, running his hand up and down Bucky’s arms.

Bucky shivers, nose wrinkling and Sam laughs, lacing their fingers together. “Just lay here with me for a while, huh?” He suggests, knowing that Sam would inevitably want to get up and start his day with something ridiculous, like running.

As if on cue, Sam says, “I should get up, run or cook breakfast, somethin’ productive.”

Bucky rolls his eyes and pulls Sam even closer. “Come on, doll, laying together in bed until Steve yells at us to get up is productive.”

He snorts, mumbling something that sounds like ‘yeah right’ even as he inches closer, eventually burying his face in Bucky's chest. It’s inevitable that Bucky ends up going back to sleep with Sam’s warm body against his, breath softly ghosting against his chest until they even out. He snorts quietly at how easily Sam fell asleep before doing the same.

**Author's Note:**

> i spent so much time debating whether to do sam "never caught off guard" wilson and sam "sleeping disaster" wilson but it's pretty obvious which one won. anyway, do you ever want to write more and then your brain goes 'lmao you thought' then commits seppuku? that's what happened with this sad, corny fic.


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